Fiber drafting system



Oct. 8, 1968 K. c. SMITH 3,404,434

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF EM United States Patent O 3,404,434 FIBER DRAFTING SYSTEM Kenneth C. Smith, Westhoughton, England, assignor to Dayco Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delawa'e Filed Jan. 27, 1967, Ser. No. 612,234 2 Claims. (Cl. 19-252) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The use of spring steel clips on the nose bar to prevent lateral movement of the 'bottom apron in a short bottom apron system.

The present invention relates to a textile drafting system which is utilized in the drafting of textile fibers between a pair of adjacent aprons. More specifieally, the present invention describes an improvement for maintaining proper positioning of these aprons during operation.

The essential characteristics of apron type clrafting systems is the passage of loosely intertwined fibers between these aprons to force them into usable strands. These aprons 'are passed over a series of rollers and nose bars in order to provide simple continuous rotation therefor for the purpose indicated. The majority of these systems Outside the United States utilize what is referred to as the long bottom apron system or Variation thereof, in which the upper apron is a short one and passes over a roller and a nose bar. The lower apron also passes about a roller and a nose bar, but in addition, passes over a large diameter tensioning roller or arm which maintains a certain desired tension on the lower apron for required traction. This system has proved somewhat cumbersome, particularly since the tensioning roller or arm and associated mechanism is complicated, tends to wear, goes out of adjustment, collects dust and lint, and permits the apron to wander laterally rather than maintaining the proper track.

In the United States, as well as in systems in certain other countries, the long bottom apron system has been replaced by the short bottom apron system which is somewhat similar in that it utilizes two aprons working in conjunction with each other. In this system the upper apron is quite similar to that in the long bottom apron system, but the lower apron is also a short one rather than a long one and the tensioning roller or arm and associated mechanism has been eliminated. Certain of these designs may also eliminate the problem of wandering of the bottom apron. It has been found highly advantageous to utilize the short bottom apron system because of the large saving in cost by eliminating the tensioning roller and utilizing a shorter apron.

A serious problem has arisen in the textile industry where the manufactrer has a long bottom apron and wishes to change this over to a short bottom` apron system for the above reasons. The applicant has solved this problem by devising a scheme whereby this conversion may be done in a very simple manner and at a very low cost. In accordance with this invention the tensioning roller or arm and mechanism and the bottom apron are replaeed by a short bottom apron which passes over the lower roller and nose bar. In order to maintain the apron in a proper track and prevent it from wan'dering or moving laterally, applieant has devised a means which may be hooked over the front surface of the nose bar adjacent to the ends. This means consists of a pair of spring clips which extend beyond the lower surface of the nose bar and thereby prevents lateral movement of the apron. 'l his is more fully set forth in the following description and drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of a prior art (long bottom apron) system is to be converted.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the short bottom apron system after conversion.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the novel system.

l FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of one of the spring c ps.

Referring to the drawings, the conventional long bottom apron system illustrated in FIGURE 1 consists of a pair of drive rollers 11 and 12 over which the two aprons are passed, and a pair of rollers 13 and 14 which are utilized in conjunction therewith. A pair of nose bars 18 and 19 are also utilized in the operation of this system. The upper apron 16 passes over roller 11 and nose bar 18, while the lower apron 17 passes over the roller 12, nose bar 19 and the tensioning roller 15 which is required to maintain the proper tension in the system as explained above.

FIGURE 2 illustrates the novel arrangement in which the rollers 11, 12, 13 and 14 and the nose bars 18 and 19 are retained as before. The upper apron 16 is still passed over the roller 11 and nose bar 18, but the lower apron 17 has been replaced with `a shorter apron 20 that passes over the roller 12 and the nose bar 19 as before, but it is noted that the tension roller has been eliminated. This arrangement is also illustrated in FIGURE 3 in which it can be seen that the apron 20 is prevented from lateral movement on the nose bar by the use of spring clips 21 and 22 which are made out of spring steel or other metal; or it is possible to make the clips from certain plastic materials that have springy properties, such as polyethylene, polystyrene, polycarbonate, acetal, and the like. These clips are identically shaped eXcept for being reversed to provide a right-hand and left-hand clip, and are mounted by hooking them over the front surface of the nose bar 19 at the outside edge of the apron. The upper curved portion 23 of the clip is hooked over the upper portion of the nose bar, while the lower curved portion 24 of the clip is hooked over the lower portion of the nose bar. Extending downwardly beyond the lower surface of the nose bar are portions 25 and 26. As can be readily seen in the drawings, the ends of the apron will bear against portions 25 Which thus prevent lateral movement of the apron between clips. Although only one apron and one pair of clips are shown, it should be understood that any number desired may be mounted on the nose bar assembly.

The simplicity of this design is readily apparent; it is only necessary to slide the clips over the nose bar with a simple motion to 'ready the system for the use of a short apron such as the apron 20. When it is desired to remove the apron for any purpose, the clips are again very easily removed so that the apron may be slid off. lt is also obvious that these clips may be made in any specific configuraton or size to fit the design as provided by various manufacture'rs. It should also be noted that the above description in no way limits the inventive concept as the description applies to only a preferred form of the invention. For example, it is possible that the clips may be used on the upper portion of the system instead of the lower portion as shown, or that other changes may be dictated by the design of the manufacturers of these spinning frames.

What is claimed is:

1. In a textile fiber drafting system comprising a roller (12), a nose bar (19) and an apron (20) passing over said roller and nose bar; the improvement consisting of spring clips (21, 22) mounted adjacent the outer edges of said apron, each of said clips comprising a strip of resilient material having upper (23) and lower (24) curved portions at the ends thereof hooked over the front surface of said nose bar, said lower curved portion being na-rrower than said upper curved portion, the lower end of said stri-p also including a segment (26) extending downwardly below said nose bar and having a lateral member (25) contacting the outer edges of said apron to prevent lateral movement thereof.

2. A resilient clip (21) for use in connection with a fiber drafting system comprising a roller (12), a nose bar (19) and an apron (20) passing over said roller and nose bar, comprising a strip of resilient material having an upper curved portion (23) at one end thereof and a lower curved portion (24) at the other end thereof, said portons eXtending at approximately right angles to said strip, said lower curved portion being narrower than said upper curved portion, the lower end of said strip also including a downwardly extending segment (26) having a lateral member (25) extending in a plane approximately at right angles to the planes of said strip and said curved portions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Kuehn et al 19-253 XR Neu et al. 19-253 Dausch 19-252 XR Starnes 19-252 XR Butler 19-252 XR Butler a.. 19-252 XR Sta-hlecker 19-252,

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Exam'ner.

I. C. WADDEY, Asssfant Examincr. 

